Governance in India: A Gender Perspective
| Author | Midatala Rani |
| Published date | 01 October 2014 |
| Date | 01 October 2014 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0019556120140411 |
GOVERNANCE IN INDIA: A GENDER
PERSPECTIVE
MIDATALA
RANI
Empowerment
of
any section
of
a society is a myth until they
are conferred equality before
law.
Empowerment
is
the power
through which collective action
is
possible and the power to
change
fundamental
inequalities. Status
of
women in
governance is the degree
of
equality enjoyed by women
in
sharing
power
as well as decision-making. Notions
of
democracy, governance and state
are
often not gender neutral
constructs but result
of
both historical factors and experiences.
The
concerns and problems
of
women transcend national
boundaries. Political participation
and
representation
of
women has important implications
for
governance
in
any
country. In this regard there have been several initiatives
undertaken in different countries across the world. Apart
from providing Constitutional safeguards, several policies,
plans
and
programmes
have
been
implemented
for
empowerment
of
women. Affirmative action
for
providing
reservation
for
women
to
actively participate
in
governance
has been provided.
The
present article is
an
allempt
to
trace
the conceptual evolution
of
the position
of
women, efforts
made at International level
to
empower women, political
participation and representation
of
women
at
global level,
initiatives towards women empowerment
in
India, reasons
for
low participation
of
women in politics.
The
article also
traces the larger debate
of
need for a fair share
for
women
in political participation.
INTRODUCTION
THE
CAUSE
of
women
is
a vibrant issue
today.
Women's rights
and
issues
have always been a subject
of
serious concern
of
academicians as well
as
policy-makers.
From
pastoral society
to
contemporary information and
global society the role
of
women
has·
changed. The continuity
of
changes
in
socio-economic
and
psycho-cultural aspects
of
human
living has influenced
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